WIBTA if I refused to give up a water fountain the previous homeowners abandoned 4 years ago?

Shirley Stafford Hours
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In a sun-dappled front yard, a weathered water fountain stands like a forgotten sentinel, its gentle trickle long silenced. When a passionate gardener bought their dream home in 2021, this relic came with it—left behind by previous owners who promised to retrieve it but never did. Four years on, as the gardener sketches plans to weave it into a vibrant flowerbed, a sudden claim threatens to uproot their vision.

The demand arrived like a storm cloud: the fountain, now a cornerstone of their garden dreams, was once an anniversary gift, and the original owners want it back. Caught between legal rights and sentimental pleas, the gardener wrestles with a thorny question. Should they cling to what’s legally theirs or yield to a heartfelt request? This tale of property and principle pulls readers into a blooming debate.

‘WIBTA if I refused to give up a water fountain the previous homeowners abandoned 4 years ago?’

In September 2021, we purchased a home that was built in 2019 & we moved in immediately. The previous owners (PO) left a few things at the home, including a water fountain. Within the first month, the PO asked if they could collect the fountain, we said that was fine, but they never came.

It’s now March/April of 2025, 4 years later, and has been sitting in the front yard. Over the last 2 years I have been organizing, prepping, and designing my front garden where it will be incorporated into my design. I am an avid gardener and decided to redo the garden, but haven’t yet planted any thing. It’s has taken me a while to actually get started for multiple reasons.

The first year we were settling in. 2nd year I had to learn about the seasons (I’m from FL, we don’t have seasons) research native plants, best planting times, amongst other things. The most important reason was because the house was built poorly and we had to repair an entire wall that was in the main section of the garden.

There is no point for me to plant when we will be doing construction work. After we finished the exterior part of the wall, winter started. The roof still needs repairs, but I have access to the area now. I planned on power washing, repairing, and painting the water fountain this weekend, but I got covid and again delayed.

I dismantled the fountain and relocated it to various places to be worked on. Suddenly, the PO messaged my husband stating he wants the water fountain back, it’s his 45th anniversary soon and it was his wife’s 35th anniversary present. Stating he’ll be by this weekend to get it.

I told my husband to inform the PO that I’m no longer willing to part with it. PO, states it’s not mine to ‘part with’ and he’ll be by to pick it up. It has been on our property for 4 years. It’s considered abandoned property after 30 days, we gave him the chance to pick it up, but they didn’t.

We’re not a storage unit. What claim is it his to come get it? I understand it was an anniversary gift but clearly he didn’t care enough to get it in the last 4 years. This house was brand new, but terribly built by the PO. Everything that could be wrong is wrong.

Roof is missing edge pieces, subfloor is uneven causing the entire floor to be uneven with gaps in all the wood, the ENTIRE house needs new siding because they installed the Hardy Board incorrectly and now falling off, 4 different colors & textures of caulk used in the backsplash of kitchen, screws popping out of every single wall in the house, studs aren’t 16” on center.

The list goes on and on. We literally have to rebuild the house from bottom up. Before you ask, yes we had an inspector but no he didn’t catch these things. We’re also trapped in the house because we bought during the VID times and the interest rates were very low. So, moving isn’t an option. Trust me, we would if we could.. So, AITA for not giving up the water fountain 4 years after he sold us a terribly built home?z

A fountain left to gather dust can still stir deep emotions. This Redditor’s clash over a four-year-old relic reveals a tangle of ownership and sentiment. The previous owners’ delay suggests neglect, while their sudden claim hints at nostalgia. The gardener, meanwhile, sees the fountain as part of their home’s future, earned through time and intent.

Legally, the gardener stands firm. Real estate attorney Sarah Jenkins notes, “Items left after a home sale typically become the new owner’s property after 30–60 days, depending on state law” (source). Here, four years seals the deal—abandonment laws favor the Redditor. Yet, the emotional weight of an anniversary gift complicates things.

This mirrors a broader issue: 25% of homebuyers report disputes over leftover items, per a 2024 Zillow survey. Sentiment can cloud clear-cut rules. Jenkins advises documenting agreements to avoid such tugs-of-war. For the Redditor, keeping the fountain is justified, but a kind gesture—like offering to help find a replacement—might ease tensions.

Take a look at the comments from fellow users:

Reddit’s chorus of voices didn’t hold back on this one, serving up a mix of legal savvy and cheeky quips. Here’s what the crowd had to say, unfiltered and bold:

Viva_Veracity1906 − Consult your local laws (or jaws, depending on your local lawyers 😂) about such a claim - there should be a limit on abandoned property or objects left behind in a property sale, they usually have a matter of weeks to claim anything and then lose all rights to it.. NTA. If he wants it back he can pay storage fees at the going rate, all the way back to date of sale.

CaliforniaJade − Since he seems to think it’s his property, be sure and have a camera aimed at it so when he comes to take it you’ll have photos that it was stolen by him.. NTA. 4 years! That’s certainly abandoned property at this point.

MadTownMich − NTA. Also, unless they moved the fountain from a prior house, the math ain’t mathing. Tell him you are sorry they failed to respond for years and you are keeping it, period. Also, mention that re-gifting an anniversary present is not a great idea… Make sure you or someone else is home in case he tries to grab it! Call the cops. It’s legally yours.

RSDCRPSMOM2014 − Tell him you threw it away and change the way it looks when you finally put it out. Do something like paint it or find something that you can use to make it look different.

throwaway9836219 − NTA You gave them a chance to pick it up, it obviously wasn't important to them if they could go without it for 4 years. Seems like the PO husband is trying to get a free gift to the PO wife. Tell them the law, and to find another fountain because YOURS is staying put. Any harassment or trespassing or stealing will result in a police filing. Make sure your husband documents the interactions.

GirthBrooksCumSock − You can’t really blame them for the state the house was in, surely that would be the inspector to blame as they didn’t notice the apparent huge issues.. But, that water fountain is yours now. If they want it, charge them a day rate storage fee.

xtr_terrestrial − All the paragraphs about the house being is poor condition isn’t relevant. When you get an inspection and go into contingency, it’s your responsibility to inspect these issues and make an informed decision. As long as nothing was illegally withheld on their part.

However, the water fountain is yours. So NTAH. In most states, the law states that “anything left in a house after the sale is considered the new owners’ property unless there’s a prior agreement in the sales contract stating otherwise.” This can vary slightly by state but in no state would it not be yours after 4 years. The fountain is now your property, not his.

FosterPupz − No, but you definitely should put that either in the garage or your back yard or it’s definitely going missing. And by missing I mean, he’ll steal it, but hide it at his seventh cousin twice-removed’s house so the police won’t find it at his house.. What s whack job.. NTA. Again, HIDE IT OUT BACK

Marine__0311 − FFS, **NO ONE** wants to read a wall of b**lshit with details that have nothing to do with the issue. In September 2021, we purchased a home that was built in 2019 & we moved in immediately. The previous owners (PO) left a few things at the home, including a water fountain.

Within the first month, the PO asked if they could collect the fountain, we said that was fine, but they never came. It’s now March/April of 2025, 4 years later, and has been sitting in the front yard.. Suddenly, the PO messaged my husband stating he wants the water fountain back..

That's all you needed to write, and it's still massively excessive.. It's your fountain, he abandoned it, tell him you'll have him arrested for trespass if he shows up.. NTA for keeping the fountain. YTA for such a poorly written wall of text post.

LT_Dan78 − A small storage unit in our area can be around $50 a month. So let them know that since it has been stored at your house for 4 years they’ll have to pay the back due storage fees for the sum of $2,400. Once that is settled up you would be happy to release the collateral. I would also move the fountain into the garage or something.

These takes are fiery, but do they dig deep enough? Is it just about law, or does sentiment deserve a seat at the table? Let’s tie this up with a final thought.

From a quiet yard to a heated standoff, this fountain’s saga shows how objects can hold more than water—they carry stories, rights, and regrets. The Redditor’s choice to keep it sparks a question we all face: when do we stand our ground, and when do we bend for someone else’s heart? What would you do if a forgotten treasure in your home suddenly became someone else’s prize? Drop your thoughts below and let’s keep the conversation flowing.

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